The invention broadly relates to dispensing apparatus and is specifically directed to apparatus for and a method of delivering water softener salt in bulk to residential water softeners.
Water softeners are commonly used in residences to "soften" hard water; i.e., water containing minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron. The water softening process causes ions of such minerals to be replaced by sodium ions on a continuous basis as hard water is supplied to the water softener from an external source. Because the process is continuous, the salt, which is kept in a bin adjacent the water softener, must be replenished periodically.
Salt used in a water softening process typically takes the form of rock salt or salt pellets, which is typically sold in bags of various sizes. Based on the amount of salt used in a water softening process, even the smallest salt bags tend to be somewhat large, bulky and heavy.
If salt replenishment is done by the home owner, it is necessary to purchase bags of salt from a grocery store or other source, which must be loaded into the user's car, subsequently unloaded and carried to the water softener. Each bag must then be opened, lifted and emptied into the salt bin. In addition to the fact that the salt bags are heavy, emptying them generally produces salt dust, which results from abrasive action between the salt pellets during transport. This dust settles on the surrounding equipment and floor, leaving a dusty environment that is difficult to clean.
If the home owner uses a water softening service, the servicing personnel must load the delivery truck with numerous bags of salt sufficient for a particular route, and these bags must be unloaded, carried into the residence and emptied in the same manner. The fact that the servicing personnel must enter the residence means that the home owner must either be at home at the time of delivery, or must provide the servicing personnel with some means for entering the home. Many home owners are hesitant to do this, particularly where there is some degree of turnover in servicing personnel; i.e., the home owner is hesitant to give access to the home to unknown individuals.
The inventive apparatus and method have been devised to overcome these problems, and to provide a system of salt delivery that does not require the lifting of salt bags or entry into the home owner's residence. Further, the system utilizes bulk rather than bagged salt, which affords cost savings as well.
Specifically, the apparatus comprises a bulk salt hopper mounted to a transportable frame that can be lifted by forklift and carried in the bed of a conventional pick-up truck or other transport vehicle. The hopper has a sealable inlet top opening for receiving salt pellets in bulk and a discharge outlet at the bottom which can be opened and closed by a gate valve. A small internal combustion engine drives an air pump, both of which are mounted on the transportable frame. The air pump outlet is communicated to the top of the sealable hopper and generates a relatively low pressure; e.g., 3 psi. A delivery hose is connected to the hopper outlet, and when the gate valve is opened with the engine and air pump running, salt pellets flow through the delivery hose.
Within the residence, a salt delivery pipe is plumbed between the water softener salt bin and an external coupling to which the delivery hose may be sealably connected. The internal delivery pipe extends through a filter bag into the salt bin, with the filter bag also overlying the top of the bin to prevent the escape of salt dust.
A pair of low voltage electrical leads are connected to a level indicating switch in the salt bin and lead from the switch along the salt delivery pipe within the residence to the external coupling. A pair of similar leads are connected in series to a low voltage source at the apparatus and an indicator light on an operating panel, and run along the salt delivery hose. At the time of delivery, the two sets of leads are connected at the external coupling. When salt within the water softening bin rises to a predetermined level, the level indicating switch closes to light the indicator light. The operator then closes the gate valve and disconnects the delivery hose from the external coupling and returns it to the bed of the pick-up truck.
Utilizing the salt delivery apparatus, salt may be delivered to a series of residences quickly and easily, eliminating the need for unloading and carrying heavy salt bags into the residence and emptying them into the water softener salt bin. Of particular importance is the fact that the operator need not enter the residence, which benefits the operator by saving time and effort, and which benefits the home owner from the standpoint of security. Both the operator and home owner are benefitted by the fact that the home owner does not have to be present during delivery.